owed this
terrible deed king Guy said to Godwin:

"Ask the Sultan if it is my turn next."

"Nay," answered Saladin; "kings do not kill kings, but that
truce-breaker has met with no more than his deserts."

Then came a scene still more dreadful. Saladin went to the door
of his tent, and standing over the body of Reginald, bade them
parade the captive Templars and Hospitallers before him. They
were brought to the number of over two hundred, for it was easy
to distinguish them by the red and white crosses on their
breasts.

"These also are faith-breakers," he shouted, "and of their
unclean tribes will I rid the world. Ho! my emirs and doctors of
the law," and he turned to the great crowd of his captains about
him, "take each of you one of them and kill him."

Now the emirs hung back, for though fanatics they were brave, and
loved not this slaughter of defenceless men, and even the
Mameluks murmured aloud.

But Saladin cried again:

"They are worthy of death, and he who disobeys my command shall
himself be slain."

"Sultan," said Godwin, "we cannot witness such a crime; we ask
that we may die with them."

"Nay," he answered; "you have eaten of my salt, and to kill you
would be murder. Get you to the tent of the princess of Baalbec
yonder, for there you will see nothing of the death of these
Franks, your fellow-worshippers."

So the brethren turned, and led by a Mameluk, fled aghast for the
first time in their lives, past the long lines of Templars and
Hospitallers, who in the last red light of the dying day knelt
upon the sand and prayed, while the emirs came up to kill them.

They entered the tent, none forbidding them, and at the end of it
saw two women crouched together on some cushions, who rose,
clinging to each other. Then the women saw also and sprang
forward with a cry of joy, saying:

"So you live--you live!"

"Ay, Rosamund," answered Godwin, "to see this shame--would God
that we did not--whilst others die. They murder the knights of
the holy Orders. To your knees and pray for their passing souls."

So they knelt down and prayed till the tumult died away, and they
knew that all was done.

"Oh, my cousins," said Rosamund, as she staggered to her feet at
length, "what a hell of wickedness and bloodshed is this in which
we dwell! Save me from it if you love me--I beseech you save me!"

"We will do our best," they answered; "but let us talk no more of
these things which are the decree of God--le